Solomon2day

Farmers in Nigeria have continued to lament the hostile attitude of the government at all levels towards the enactment of a policy that would empower and safeguard them. Of worry,are the numerous challenges weighing down the agricultural sector, among which is the astronomical costs of processing and distribution between the farms and markets. Indeed, the insecurity in different parts of the country has resulted in the forced annexation of the ancestral land of the people by faceless actors backed by Those-in-Charge. In so many states the real estate business has distracted the elected representatives of Nigerians form their primary responsibilties, while lawlessness and criminality have defied all solutions. Difficulties in accessing credit, farm loss and policy-induced distortions have also contributed to the situation today, that has translated to hunger and poverty. Sadly, the ailing sector has ensured the acute shortage of food, a high rate of unemployment, increase in the pove...

The Rwandan Government is set to revamp the Kinazi Cassava Processing Plant in Rhuhango District of the country. Presently, the processing plant is operating at just 35 per cent of its production capacity. It is owned through a joint shareholding between the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) and Agaciro Development Fund. Kinazi cassava processing plant is currently operating at just 35 per cent of its production capacity. The plant is owned through a joint shareholding between the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) and Agaciro Development Fund. It has about 10 farmers' cooperatives besides individual farmers and receives cassava produce from Southern Province, Eastern Province and a few parts of Western Province. President Paul Kagame had, during the citizen outreach in Ruhango District, pledged to help stimulate economic activity in the area.

Inspiring strides from viable societies have proved that agriculture has the potential to solve several internal challenges, including food shortages, prohibitive prices of foodstuffs, unemployment and the heavy dependence on the monthly federal allocation, among others. Unfortunately, the agriculture sector in several states has been unable to provide jobs for the majority of the unemployed, particularly the youth, even as kidnapping for ritual and ransom purposes are now the preferred choices. In addition, the worrisome state of government-owned farm settlements has made the cultivation, processing,packaging and storage of varieties of crops impossible. Sadly, the lack of capacity, policy bias, underinvestment and misinvestment have all along been impediments to the development of agribusiness in affected states. In addition, the government at all levels have failed to create a conducive environment to attract investors into the sector, even though a number of them still insist that...

An unspecified number of farmers have been forced out of business by the unending insecurity and prohibitive costs of agricultural inputs in Nigeria. This assertion was made by the immediate past chairman of the Oyo state chapter of the Day old Chicks Association of Nigeria(DOCAN), Alhaji Asimiyu Oyetunde. ''The insecurity in different parts of the country has forced several farmers out of business, they have abandoned their farms. In addition, most of the inputs such as maize and soya beans are very expensive. Prices keep increasing on a daily basis. The poultry industry is worse hit as banks are not ready to give us loans,'' Alhaji Oyetunde. He posited that once the safety of lives and property can be guaranteed, activities in the agriculture sector should come back to life, while appealing to the government to tackle the security challenges decisively.

Agriculture has the potentials of been a major revenue earner in Nigeria, if only farmers had not been neglected for several years and deprived of needed incentives. Indeed, farmers in rural areas have never been encouraged to remain within their localities to propel increased farm production, while production at the local government level has made the availability of schools,Primary health Care Delivery, functional electricity and potable water a mirage. The caretaker committees at the grassroots have only succeeded in impoverishing the rural populace. At present, agricultural equipment and machinery are sourced from advanced countries, this alone, is an impediment to self sufficiency in food production. Indeed, sub-standard farm equipment and machinery to a large extent affected output in most farms in the country, just as access to finance is a major challenge for farmers. Bank interest rates are not friendly, if at all the banks are ready to give out loans to ...